Posted on 01/09/2015 6:13:08 PM PST by Squawk 8888
When This is Spinal Tap came out over 30 years ago, it went over a lot of people’s heads. “Everybody thought it was a real band,” recalled director Rob Reiner. “Everyone said, ‘Why would you make a movie about a band that no one has heard of?’”
It’s hard to believe that lines like “You can’t dust for vomit” failed to come off as anything but a joke. But, to be fair, Hollywood comedies were generally straight-forward affairs in the ‘80s. Think Blues Brothers or Fletch. Fake documentaries weren’t a thing. And This is Spinal Tap looks and feels exactly like a rock documentary– the hagiographic voiceover, the shaky camera, the awkward interviews. The movie was just as unscripted as rock docs like Don’t Look Back, The Song Remains the Same and The Kids Are All Right. The film is not only a parody of the generally overblown silliness of rock and roll, it is also, as Newsweek’s David Ansen notes, “a satire of the documentary form itself, complete with perfectly faded clips from old TV shows of the band in its mod and flower-child incarnations.”
(Excerpt) Read more at openculture.com ...
Couldn't agree more
I didn’t know this until a year ago, but there was no script to that film. They had a general idea of what was going to happen, but most was ad-libbed.
I’d like to participate on this thread, however I died. I choked on vomit. I’m not sure whose vomit it was...
I just finished Trailer Park Boys. I loved it!
The funny thing is that is came out in 1984 and was already mocking the rock industry that lasted a few more years even after that.
I would rather be a drummer in Spinal Tap than someone who had access to Hillary Clinton’s Rose Law Firm records.
LOL...me too.
In reality, If anyone ever has the chance to stand in front of a Marshall JCM 800 at 10 (or 11!) and 2 cabs...don’t.
Just....don’t.
You Will feel TeH RaWk!
You won’t HEAR it. You’ll be deaf. But you will FEEL it.
“My fave by those guys is, ‘Best In Show,’ hands down.”
Definitely! I almost never watch movies more than once but I’ve enjoyed ‘Best In Show’ several times.
My favorite scene is where Nigel is complaining about the catering.
I like the Michelle Obama theme.
Smell the Glove was a good one also.
“But, to be fair, Hollywood comedies were generally straight-forward affairs in the ‘80s. Think Blues Brothers or Fletch. Fake documentaries weren’t a thing.”
Albert Brooks had already made Real Life in 1979 (parodying the PBS reality show about the Loud family).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ReqVoSZOM
You’ve watched it 3x? But you probably never watched the 3x as long workprint edit (nearly 5 hours). It doesn’t have all of the production music. Some scenes go on a lot longer and there are some subplots that were removed for the theatrical version.
Well at least you didn’t internally combust.
He shoved the amps up to 11 and locked us into Under Five.
Says you ;)
Spinal Tap has got nuttin’ on me!
I have an amp at home that goes to 12! Really!
And it was made in the UK 13-15 years before Spinal Tap’s girly Marshall amp ;)
A “Sound City Concord”-—Check it Out!
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/z/B8YAAOSwj0NUhYyk/$_86.JPG
Maybe “11” was a recycled old gag.
Personally I thought A Mighty Wind was a hoot.
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